Love and Peace: The Impossible Dream
by The Japonica
Summary: AU. In the not too distant future, the world has been at war for decades. In this time of pain and loss, two soldiers hide their hearts from a cruel world. Because, after all, love and peace are just impossible dreams. Aren’t they? *Chapter 4 now up!*
1. Intro Chapter: A Sacrifice of Love

*Hey everyone. If you really want to know, I had finished a weekend of watching a lot of other either futuristic or war movies when I got the idea for this story. Also, the horrible terrorist attacks on our country and all the talk of war got me thinking as well. I got to thinking about women fighting the wars along with the men.

Just a note: Because the war is mostly fought in North America, I used the characters' North American names. Although, I dislike Haruka's North American name, Amara. Yeah, it's pretty, but it doesn't suit her. But that's just me. Soooooo, any and all kinds of feedback are appreciated. *

*P.S: My deepest sympathy goes out to everyone during this time of tragedy. God bless America. * 

It's war. Not a war fought only with weapons and lives, it's a war fought with and against conscience and unity. Civil Wars have been fought all over the world, but none have been as infamous as the one being fought now. In 2050 A.D., the world was ripped apart by a power-hungry general from the United States. Dubbed the 'New Hitler', General Charles Hain used, and is using, part of America's Military Power to rid the world of all 'unfit humans'; people with sicknesses, handicaps, and the wrong genes. Because of this, the United States and many other countries separated and formed alliances, the majority of the groups fading into two parts. Hain's followers, called the Confederacy of Power, and the people sworn to fight against him, the Nationalists. The once peaceful and cohesive United States is now one of the areas most at war, with the Confederates ironically positioned in the southern part of North America. 7 years since its start, the war still rages on…

~*~*~ 2057 A.D. ~*~*~

Serenity Lunar held her 5-year-old daughter, Serena, in her arms as she reclined in the bed the two shared. She ran her fingers through the girl's long, golden tresses in an effort to settle her down. Serena contemplated the idea of sleep of a moment, but as soon as her mother thought she had drifted away she spoke up.

"Mama!" Serena called out cheerily, ignoring the groan that escaped her mother's lips. "Tell me about the Fourth of July when you were a little girl!"

"Serena, you've heard about that so many times…"

"Please," Serena begged, giving her mother the sweetest, most innocent look she could muster.

Serenity gave another slight groan as she sat up. "Alright, alright. But only if you promise to go to sleep right after I finish."

Serena cheered and settled her head into her mother's lap. Serenity began combing her fingers through Serena's hair again as she cleared her throat.

"When I was your age," She began, her voice barely above a whisper. "We had huge celebrations during the Fourth of July. Not like the standardized military gatherings now.  We would have picnics all day long and play games as much as we wanted. We ate tons and tons of watermelon until we felt we would burst. And at night, we would watch the most beautiful fire works. They would light up the sky with so many colors you thought it was daylight."

She was about to continue when Serena interrupted her. "Why don't we have those anymore, Mama?" She asked drowsily.

It was a difficult question to answer, and Serenity paused for a moment to think of an answer. She thought of explaining pacifism, religious fanaticism, or her own opinion on the subject. But she knew the little girl would never understand such things now.

"I don't know, baby," She replied. "I don't know."

Serena mumbled incomprehensibly and rolled over. The sand man had finally caught up with her. 

Serenity gazed at her daughter, a smile forming on her lips. She saw traces of her former husband, taken in the beginning of the war, in the little girl's features. The blonde hair and blue eyes surely didn't come from the silver-haired, lavender-eyed Serenity. And every time the girl smiled, her eyes would light up exactly like her father's. It was as if he was looking out through her eyes.

"Do you see our baby, Chris?" Serenity asked, looking towards heaven. "Isn't she beautiful?" She waited in the dark for a moment as if expecting an answer. The small communicator on her nightstand beeped shrilly, breaking through the moment of peace Serenity rarely had.

 Serenity cursed under her breath and jumped to answer it.

"Colonel Lunar here," She said curtly, looking over her shoulder to see if Serena had awakened.

The picture bent and twisted into clarity to a reveal a man dressed in full military uniform. 

"Colonel," The man on the other end began, saluting nervously. Serenity fought the urge to roll her eyes and returned the salute.

"Corporal Johnson," Serenity said with a nod. She noticed the man's unease as he shifted from one foot to another and glanced from left to right. "Where's the Sergeant?"

"He's gathering the troops, Colonel."

Serenity's eyes narrowed. "Troops? What's happened?"

"We got a threat from the Confederates," The man said. "General Anderson has requested that you and Lieutenant Colonel Smith return to the head base. Sending troops to you may take too long, and the protection here is stronger. Major Clarke and most the other soldiers from your unit have already returned. "

"Understood," Serenity said prominently. She switched off the communicator and tossed it back on the nightstand.

The clattering sound woke Serena, who sat up and rubbed her eyes sleepily.

"Come on, honey," Serenity said, her once authoritative voice melting away. "We have to get back to the head base."

"I don't wanna go back there, Mama!" Serena whined. "We just got home!"

Serenity was about to use her authoritative voice again when a rustling sound outside caught her attention. Her back tensed as she turned toward the window, holding a hand up for her daughter to keep quiet. She reached into the nightstand slowly, pulling out the revolver that was hidden inside its drawer. She cocked the ammo into position and held it ready as she approached the window.

"Get down," Serenity ordered, looking back only once to see if her daughter did as she was told. Using the barrel of her gun, Serenity pulled the drapes back slowly. A military vehicle was parked in front of the casement, the Confederacy of Power's symbol; a Confederate flag from the 1800's with a extra, larger star in the middle, displayed proudly on it's side. Two of the soldiers in front of the vehicle looked towards the window and raised their guns.

Serenity charged toward the bed, practically ripping Serena out of it. She barely got out of the bedroom before it burst into flames. Serena gripped her arms around her mother's neck as Serenity ran down the steps to make it to the exit. The fire alarm blared overhead and the alert sirens around the neighborhood started a few minutes later. 

'They must be able to see the fire from the headquarters,' Serenity thought. 'Maybe they'll send help in time.' As Serenity neared the front door, a group of uniformed soldiers entered, guns unsheathed. She spun around down the opposite hallway, the bullets of enemy guns ricocheting against the walls.

 Serena was screaming and sobbing at the same time. 

"Quiet, angel. Please be quiet," Serenity soothed quickly. "We'll be OK."

 They came to the back exit and Serenity pushed on the door with a free hand. It wouldn't budge.

"They put a block on the back door," Serenity said in disbelief. She could hear the soldiers' thundering footsteps behind her, blocking the way back to the front exit. She put Serena down and threw herself against the door in desperation, but it was bolted tight, the steel almost impenetrable. 

Serenity looked around frantically, spotting a small hole in the wall. She looked in it quickly and kicked the plaster until the whole was large enough for someone to crawl through. She turned to her daughter and pointed to the wall. "Get in, angel. Hurry." Serena did as she was told, folding her legs to her chest in the confined space. Making the most important decision she ever had to make in a matter of seconds, Serenity began to drag a bookcase over the opening.

"Mama, no!" Serena cried out. "Don't leave me alone!"

Serenity looked down the corridor and again at her daughter, forcing a smile. "Mama's going to be fine angel. Here," She reached under her shirt, pulling out the golden chain that was concealed under it. "I'm going to give this to you, so you know I'm always nearby. You keep it safe, OK?"

Serena nodded mutely, taking the necklace from her mother's hand and watched as the crescent moon that dangled from it glittered in the dim light.

Serenity reached into the hole and pressed a hard, hurried kiss into her daughter's forehead.

"Be quiet and don't move. No matter what happens." Serenity commanded.  Serena reached out to her mother with a cry, but with a final push of the bookcase she was plunged into darkness. She pressed herself against the back of the bookcase, straining to hear what was going on outside

The soldiers trudged through the narrow hallway, cocking their guns at the sight of Serenity.

"Where's the child?" A soldier yelled. Serenity leaned against the exit in response, a small smirk on the corners of her mouth as she folded her arms. 

"No matter," Another soldier said. "Colonel Lunar, You're under arrest for treason against General Hain. Surrender now and we'll consider sparing you!" 

"I'll never go down begging," Serenity spat angrily. "And he's not **my** general. You tell Hain to go to hell."

Machine gun fire echoed against the walls, the vibrations shaking the parapet that surrounded Serena in her hiding place. Then there was silence.

***

"Damn, they hit this place hard," One rescue soldier said, shuffling through the debris.

"No shit," Another answered through the communicators in their helmets. "Those damn Confederates, thinking they can do whatever they like."

"Look at this," The first called out, picking up a decapitated doll  from the rubble and waving it in the other man's direction. "Must belong to Colonel Lunar's daughter. Lord, I hope they got out. Lunar's one of our best chances for..." The man heard a slight sound of movement and froze. Aiming his gun in front of him, his slowly advanced toward the sound, the beam of the flashlight on his gun falling on the figure of a body.

He moved the light up, his heart falling at the sight of Colonel Lunar. Her body was a limp heap on the floor, her clothing stained scarlet, and lines of red trailing from the corners of her mouth. A small girl lay beside her, burying her head into Lunar's shoulder. Waves of gold fell across her shoulders, shaking as she sobbed quietly.  She turned slowly and looked up at him, her eyes glittering with tears, her mother's blood covering her clothes and face.

"What took you so long?" The girl asked softly.

To be continued…


	2. Intro Chapter 2: The Miracle Survivor

~*~*~ 2057 AD Continues ~*~*~

_…Meanwhile…_

The ambulance screeched to a halt, it's tires skidding slightly at the force. Other emergency vehicles were already at the scene, the lights at the top of each vehicle sending swirling colors onto the dusty earth. 

"This is it, Kate," One of the paramedics said, glancing at his notes quickly. "The site of the accident. They called for backup five minutes ago." 

His partner surveyed the sight with a sad shake of her head. "Good thing we were close by." She replied pensively. "Must have been caught of guard when they tried to get out of the base. It makes me sick to see things like this."

The first paramedic mumbled in agreement. They opened their doors and jumped down from the ambulance almost in unison. Kate led the way to the van at the front of all the commotion. A police officer was furiously scribbling notes on his small pad of paper.

"What happened here?" Kate demanded.

The officer looked up briefly before going back to his notes. He gestured almost indifferently to the large precipice. "Vehicle lost control, drove off the cliff. We sent a rescue team down there a few minutes ago. They already found the body of the driver. Dead on impact."

Kate looked down the edge of the cliff, squinting her eyes to see in the dim light. Her partner did the same and sighed.

"It's impossible for someone to have survived that fall," He began sadly.

A large commotion rose from down below. The police officer's radio cackled loudly from his vehicle near by.

"Survivors!" An excited voice boomed. "We found survivors!"

"I'll be damned," The police officer said in awe. 

The people erupted into commotion, pulling out stretchers and radioing the hospitals. Moments later one of the team members emerged at the top of the overhang, a limp body cradled in his arms. Kate ran over to them immediately.

"She's alive," The rescuer said as Kate neared him. 

"Jack!" She called out for her partner "Bring a stretcher!" Her partner did as she was told and helped place the weak woman onto it. 

"Help him," The woman whispered feebly. "Oh God, help my boy."

"It's alright, ma'am," Kate reassured routinely.  She fought back a grimace as she examined the woman's wounds. Although she had been in the business for years, the sight of pain always made her upset. The woman gasped out in pain, closing her eyes as she gritted her teeth. Kate gripped her hand.

"We'll help you, and your boy. Is he down there?"

The woman nodded through her pain. "I tried to shield him. I tried. Oh God, please. I watched his father die,"

"What's your son's name?" Kate heard Jack ask over her shoulder.

"D-Darien," The woman choked out. "Please help my Darien," When the request finally passed through her lips, the woman went limp. Her hand fluttered out from Kate's grasp and hung off the frame of the stretcher.

Kate bowed her head in silent prayer and crossed herself. Jack tapped her shoulder rapidly. She spun around and saw the next wave of the rescue team emerge. 

"Paramedics!" The leader yelled. "Another live one!"

Kate focused on the small form in the man's arms. A little boy, probably no more than 7, with a head of dark hair, lay unconscious. She glanced at Jack, astonishment on her features.

"Darien."

***

"It's a miracle," The doctor murmured as he stood over the boy's bed. "A fall like that surely would have killed someone as small as he."

Kate nodded from her seat by the bed, holding the boy's hand in hers. "The kid's a fighter. I can tell by looking at him." 

The doctor nodded and looked at his chart. "The only damage was a concussion to the head. Although it's major, I can see him recovering in a few weeks. All we need is to fill out these forms."

"His parents," Kate said desolately and sadly. "Were killed in the crash."

The doctor sighed. "What a shame," He replied. He looked at the little boy and shook his head. "Orphans are becoming more and more common these days."

"I'd take him, but this war has ruined the economy. I barely have enough to…"

The doctor held up his hand. "You don't need to explain anything to me. I understand entirely," 

A nurse appeared at the threshold of the door.

"Doctor," She said breathlessly. "They've sent more victims from the base."

"I'll be right there," The doctor replied with a nod. He turned to Kate. "I have to go. Since you're one of the only registered people around who seems to know enough information," He held out the chart. "Perhaps you wouldn't mind?"

Kate barely took the clipboard from him before he darted out of the room. She looked at the little boy on the bed and brushed his dark bangs away from his face before turning her attention to the chart. The boy's blood type had been determined at the hospital, along with other minor medical information. His first name was also scrawled across the top, with the line for his last name left blank. Kate bit her lip thoughtfully. Neither the child nor his parents had been found with any sort of identification. It was common for people to flee in the spur of the moment during the attacks. They barely had time to pack their things, let alone IDs.

_'I tried to shield him. I tried.'_

Kate frowned in thought a moment before taking up the pen.

"Last Name: Shields" 

To be continued… 


	3. A Feeling of Déjà Vu

So, you wanna know why it takes me so long to write the new chapter, huh? Well, it all started when aliens came to visit one starry, autumn night….

Disclaimer: Yep. My first time doing one of these things. I thought it wouldn't be necessary, but I read an interesting article that changed my mind. Sailor Moon and its characters were not my creation. They belong to Naoko Takeuchi (or Takeuchi Naoko, whichever you prefer). I'm just proving what a brilliant mind she has by showing my love for her ideas :D. The concept of this story, however, is my own.

*POWER TO THE PIZZA MAKERS!*

~*~*~*Greyson Hospital of the Nationalists, Children's Ward, 2057 AD*~*~*~

The medicine-diluted air of the children's ward of Greyson Hospital was strangely still and quiet. Its large hallways were empty and enclosed in darkness. The diminutive, soft beeping of hospital machinery was the only sound that could be heard in the heavy, poignant atmosphere. A soft sound of a child's sobs joined the beeping of the machines, but no one seemed too disturbed by it. The sound was not a rare one, as the facility and orphanages of the area were on the verge of overflowing with children. A raven-haired boy sat up in his small hospital bed and rubbed his eyes, exhausted by his tears but unable to make them stop. He hiccupped as he tried to catch his breath and made a small whimper in despair. The boy felt something brush up against his arm and cried out in horror. He raised his arms up and pushed with all his might. His intruder squealed in surprise and tumbled off the bed, landing with a slight 'thud' on the floor.

"Who's there?" The boy asked into the darkness, pulling his covers to his chin. In the shadows, he could barely make out the small frame of the trespasser standing from the cold floor.

"I heard you crying," A voice replied. The figure moved closer to the bed, allowing the moonlight that spilled through the blinds of the window to shine down on their face. A little girl stood before him, with large, crystal blue eyes and golden hair that went past her waist. "I was glad to hear someone else was awake. Are you scared too?"

The little boy nodded, his tears forgotten for the moment. "I hate it here. I want to go home."

"Me too." The girl said as she squirmed up onto the foot of the bed. She frequently tugged on the sleeves of her hospital gown before sitting down on the mattress. "But I can't."

Without even asking, the boy knew her reason why. He knew it was the same as his. "Me neither."

The girl looked at him in silence for a moment, her fingers twisting around the large golden chain around her neck. A crescent moon pendant glittered in the moonlight, and the boy was instantly drawn to it.

"What is that?" He asked quietly, as if speaking any louder would ruin the air of peacefulness that had settled with the small girl's presence. She looked up at him, her unclouded blue eyes searching through his.

"It was my mama's," The girl answered. "She said it meant she was always nearby."

"Do you think she is?"

The girl looked down as her fingers continued to play with the necklace. "I hope so."

She giggled slightly after a small pause. "I feel like I know you." 

"Yeah," The boy replied. "Me too."

"Maybe it means something. Almost like…"

"We're family." The boy finished.

"Yeah!" The girl exclaimed. "Let's be a family!"

The boy cocked his head and looked at her in confusion. "What?"

"Since we're both alone now, let's be each other's family."

The boy thought a moment before nodding his head enthusiastically. "Yeah. OK!"

The girl held out a fist, a small pinky extended from her clenched fingers. The boy did the same, hooking his pinky around hers. They shook hands, a large smile spreading over both their faces.

"What are _you_ doing out of your room, young lady?"

The children turned towards the voice in surprise. A nurse stood at the doorway, a large vase full of roses in her hands. She set the vase down and put her hands on her hips. "Go back to your own room right now, missy. Hut two."

The girl's shoulders slumped sadly and she climbed off the hospital bed with a groan. She kept her eyes on the floor as she passed the nurse and slowly made her way down the hall.

"And you, mister," The nurse turned towards the boy, shaking a scolding finger at him. "You get some sleep." 

He nodded and made a show of bringing a hand to his mouth to stifle a yawn. Satisfied, the nurse turned to leave, her vase of roses forgotten. After a moment the girl popped her head in the doorway, gave the room a quick glance, and ran inside. She stood on her toes at the side of the hospital bed and kissed the boy's cheek quickly before darting out again.

The boy held his cheek in surprise and started at the doorway the girl disappeared from. A small smile formed on his lips again and he laughed to himself before looking down at the covers of the bed. A single rose lay nestled in the folds of the sheets.

~*~*~*Farkas Academy Air Force Base, Jet Hanger 0020, 2073 AD.

16 Years Later*~*~*~

"How's it flyin', Darien?"

Darien snapped out of his thoughts quickly, suddenly aware that the shrill whine of fighter jets was rumbling painfully against his ears.

"How's it flyin', Andrew?" Darien echoed in response. He glanced in the other man's direction before busing himself with the inspection of his jet.

"As good as can be expected," Andrew replied. He folded his arms and leaned against Darien's jet indolently. "So, what's wrong this time? Or are you nervous about the big battle over squadron leader today?" 

Darien glanced at him again with a scoff. "Nervous? Please."

"Oh, I forgot. 'The Great Darien Shields' doesn't get nervous over such things. That's why he's scrutinizing his jet for the hundredth time this morning. But, really, you seem upset. Bad dreams?"

"You could say that," Darien responded. "It's the same damn dream every night."

"Ah, I've heard of things like this. Some psychiatrist down in Chicago or something…"

Darien lifted his hand. "Spare me all the psychiatric theories, Andrew. It's just a dream."

"Yeah, but dreams can be-" Andrew paused at the look Darien gave him. "Right. Just a dream. So, what was this 'just-a-dream' about?" 

Darien shrugged one shoulder. "Can't remember."

Andrew laughed. "Yeah, right. The day you don't remember something pigs will fly."

"I don't remember lots of things," Darien said simply. An unsettling pause floated between them for a moment before he cleared his throat. "So how'd things go with Rita last night?"

Andrew's face almost split in half with force of his smile. "I think I'm in love."

Darien chuckled, shaking his head slowly. "You always say that."

"No, this time I think I really am. I just…I don't know. I get this feeling when I'm with her."

"Sexual excitement. It happens to everyone."

"It's not about sex, Dar. Granted, the sex in itself is great. But, it goes way beyond that. I feel like I can do anything when I'm with her."

Darien said nothing in response as he made a show of rubbing the smudges off his jet before climbing inside the cabin.

Andrew shook his head. "Sorry, I got carried away again. She always does that to me. We need to find you a girl, Dar. Someone who…"

"No," Darien interrupted forcefully.

Andrew put up his hands in surrender. "I forgot; 'no distractions'." The whine of jet engines suddenly erupted into piercing screams as the jets made their way out of the hanger. "That's my cue!" Andrew yelled. "See ya in the sky, Dar!"

Moments after the final craft had left the hanger, the jets separated into their predetermined squadrons to plan their attacks on the opposite team. Before Darien could even finish his first maneuver, however, a small group of jets from the other squad began closing in.

"Darien!" Andrew's voice crackled through the link. "Enemy on your tail!"

Darien pulled on the controls, and the jet dipped to the side and maneuvered away. The alert alarm continued to beep on his small control panel.

"Where is he?" He demanded. "I can't see him!"

"They're moving all over the place!" Another man replied. "I can't shake the one behind…"

A rapid beeping broke through the link as the man's line went dead. Instead of ammunition, he had been "hit" by the radar of the other jet.

The loss was quickly forgotten. "Enemy! Six o'clock!"

Darien pulled the controls again, this time sending the jet higher into the air. The enemy jet continued forward and Darien flew in behind it. 

"I've got it," Darien said, only partially to his teammates. Just as the tone to fire sounded, the jet spiraled higher into the air and out of sight.

***

An hour later, Andrew found Darien back in the hanger, inspecting the exterior of his jet. Just as he opened his mouth for another demeaning comment on Darien's obsession, another voice echoed through the hanger.

"A job well done, Lieutenants," Colonel Kent boomed. The two surprised men quickly spun around and saluted. "At ease. I must say that the selection team will have quite a job choosing squadron leader."

"If I may say so, sir, the squad we were up against was quite impressive." Andrew commented. He paused for a moment to put his words together delicately. 

"They kept us on our toes, sir," Darien supplied. "They came together with a strategy rather quickly."

"A few of your fellow candidates were chosen from that squad. As a matter of fact," The colonel gestured for the men to follow him. " I believe one of the pilots is still in the hanger."

The men were lead to a different sector of the large hanger, where they could see another pilot sitting in the small cabin of their jet, closely inspecting the control panel inside.

"This pilot just came back from another test run. Quite conscientious."

"A kindred spirit, eh Dar?" Andrew muttered low enough for only Darien to hear. "If he's anything like you we're all in trouble." 

"Lieutenant Lunar," The Colonel Kent called out. The pilot looked up in surprise before quickly leaping out of the cockpit. The pilot gave a rigid salute, still wearing the protective helmet that obscured the pilot's face. The colonel quickly returned the salute. "Take off your helmet, soldier. I'd like to see the face of one of my final candidates for Squadron Leader."

The pilot obeyed, removing the large, black helmet in one fluid moment. Strands of golden hair fell into crystal blue eyes, causing the pilot to shake her head gracefully. The fair tresses, once bundled deep inside the helmet, freely swept across her shoulders and past her slim waist. Darien could imagine Andrew's jaw dropping to the floor, and it took all his will power to keep his own jaw from doing the same.

"It's an honor, sir," The pilot said, tucking her helmet under one slender, strong arm.

"Meet two of Farkas Academy's best," The colonel continued, gesturing to the two men. "Your competition." 

"Colonel," A voice crackled over the walkie-talkie. "You're needed in sector 12."

"I'll be right there," Kent replied. After the normal exchange of salutes, the colonel disappeared, the click of his heels echoing against the hanger's walls.

Andrew held out his hand. "I'm not sexist, but I have to admit. I've never seen such tactics from a woman before."

Lieutenant Lunar looked at him with a somewhat cold gaze as she shook his hand. "No, apparently you haven't, Lieutenant."

"Please, call me Andrew. I've never cared for formalities…" He paused for her to give her name.

The corners of her mouth twitched into a small, short-lived smirk. "Serena."

"This is Darien by the way," Andrew said, nodding his head towards the other man. Serena turned to look at him in acknowledgement. The need to be proper took over him, and Darien held out his hand.

"Pleased to meet you." He said politely. Serena took his hand, and their eyes met ingenuously. An almost violent feeling of déjà vu took over the two. Their gazes locked together for a moment, each trying to peer into the other's soul, each asking 'Where have I met you before?'.

An unknown matter of time passed between them before reality returned to their clouded minds. The handshake finally ended, and as they separated the world came back to its place under their feet.

"Yeah," Serena said slowly. "It's nice to meet you, Darien."

To Be Continued…


	4. It is revealed...

Damn those sadistic aliens!! I'm really sorry about the really long wait everyone. Here it is, chapter 4! Ta da! *A bright, neon 'Applause' sign is switched on, followed by the soundtrack of enthusiastic cheering* 

Disclaimer: The characters aren't mine, but the story is. No, really. That's the hard, confusing truth

P.S:  I LIVE for reviews! So please review, review, review! And a special thanks goes to, as always, Liz for taking time out of her 'busy' schedule to read my work. Her birthday is on the 16th (of March) so I'd like to say: 'Happy seventeenth on the sixteenth , girlfriend!' :D

                                                                    ~*~*~*~                                                                  

Serena never was one to believe in kismet, but the encounter with the man in the jet hanger was too hard to swallow. After a customary, yet hurried, 'See you guys later', she made a hasty retreat to the women's barracks, her mind whirling and pounding with her thoughts. As the large metal door to the quarters slammed closed behind her, she let out a small sigh of relief.

"Did the 'welcome wagon' chase you in here?" A voice asked. Despite the softness off her voice, the words echoed against the barrack's tedious, gray walls. A young woman Serena's age was sprawled on one of the plain, metal-framed beds. A small, handheld computer lay in front of her, and every few seconds a beep would sound from it's small speaker.

"I'm afraid I haven't had the pleasure of meeting it," Serena replied.

"Good. Consider yourself lucky." The woman replied. She slipped off the bed in one graceful movement and held out her hand. "Amy Anderson."

Serena shook her hand with a nod. "Serena Lunar."

"Lunar," Amy repeated to herself. "Why have I heard that name before?"

"It's a common name," Serena answered with a shrug.

Amy's reply was interrupted as the loud metal doors slammed open once again.

"Oh God," Amy muttered softly, and retreated back to her bed just as swiftly as she had left it. 

"Another recruit!" A chipper voice cried out. The owner of the voice bounded to Serena like a lion on its prey. "I could've sworn I met all the women assigned to this barrack, but here you are!"

"Here I am," Serena replied uncertainly, the woman's strange cheerfulness causing her to recoil slightly. Her behavior seemed strange on a soldier, but the woman's uniform clearly showed she was an officer. 

Another woman in a matching uniform sauntered in, flipping her long, dark hair with a regal scoff.  "Excuse Mina's…eccentric behavior. She tends to lose her head when she's excited."

Mina looked at her companion with an angry glare. "And you must excuse Raye. She tends to think she owns everything."

"Download complete," A mechanical voice rang out. The ensuing argument was instantly forgotten as the three women looked at Amy curiously.

"Access codes," Amy explained. She pulled a small, round disk from the computer and held it out to them. "With a little human manipulation, these codes can hack into any computer system."

"That's well and good," Mina replied. "But what on earth do you need those for?"

The conversation was interrupted once again as the metal doors swung open with another bang. A tall, brunette woman in the same military uniform entered the room with long, confident strides. She lifted the paper she held in her hand in greeting.

"Straight from the horse's mouth," The woman explained as she handed the paper to Raye. "'Nationalist Rebels Attack Own Base'. How's that for a story, eh?"

"Nationalists?" Serena asked in disbelief. "Why would Nationalists attack their own cause?"

"They're not Nationalists," Raye answered, barely glancing up as she continued to read the article in her hands. "The Confederacy just calls them that to give us a bad reputation. The name stuck with the public for some reason."

"Not only do we battle against the Confederates," The brunette gestured to the paper angrily. "But we have to battle these jerks as well."

Serena looked at the paper over Raye's shoulder. The photo was of an angry mob gathered around a large bonfire of Confederate flags. Amongst the angry fists, an old-fashioned American flag was displayed proudly in the air.

"Check out the nostalgia," Raye said, pointing to the picture. "They're all wearing leather jackets with 20th century flags printed on the back."

"This isn't exactly new to us, Lita," Mina addressed the taller woman.

Raye read the paper out loud in response. "'In addition to the attacks yesterday, the apparent leader of 'Citizens For A New America' has announced another possible appearance today.  The Nationalist Rebels, as they are also known, have been attacking Nationalist and Confederate bases across the two countries, the majority of their attacks targeted toward Army owned Gathering Areas.'"

"'Gathering Areas'?" Serena asked again.

Lita flashed a slight grin. "Dance clubs. Gathering Areas is just a term they use to make it seem professional."

"'Cause you gotta make the Army look good," Mina added with a laugh.

"So, where are they going?" Amy asked from her place on the bed.

"Intelligence tells me they're going to a Confederate Area right on the border," Lita replied. "We could easily get there by tonight."

"So you're telling us you want to break the curfew, go into enemy territory, and spy on these supposed rebels. All with out an order from a superior officer?" Mina asked dubiously. Lita lifted an eyebrow in her direction. "No, no, I'm in. Just trying to clarify the situation."

"Allright!" Lita exclaimed in approval. "How 'bout you, Raye? You in?" 

 Raye shrugged one shoulder. "Why not? It's not like I've never broken curfew before." 

"I'm definitely in," Serena declared. "But how do we get into a Confederate territory?"

Three pairs of eyes fell on the disk Amy held in her hand.

***

_"Yeah, it's nice to meet you, Darien."_

Darien continued to stare after the woman moments after she left the hanger. He had no idea how much time had passed between their handshake and the sarcastic cough Andrew gave to get his attention.

"What?" Darien snapped; glaring at the wide grin plastered on his friend's face.

"Looks like the 'Great Darien Shields' isn't as immune as we humble citizens thought."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, no?" Andrew pointed to the hanger's doors. "Then, what the hell was that about?"

The doors in question swung open, allowing the light from the hallway outside to seep into the dim hanger briefly. Darien supposed he should have been pleased with the interruption, but the person walking in was more troublesome than one hundred conversations about his sex life.

The silhouette of a woman walked into the hanger, her red hair flaming from the light outside. The door slid shut with a loud 'snap' behind her, and the hanger was once again dark. The woman propped one hand on her hip as she advanced toward the two men, the sound of her high heels echoing against the hanger's empty walls.

"Why hello, gentlemen," The woman cooed, flipping her long, red hair flirtatiously. "Fancy seeing you two standing in a dark, abandoned hanger."

"We don't have time, Beryl," Andrew drawled apathetically.

Beryl gave an innocent pout. "I'm insulted. You always…"

"What do you want?" Darien interrupted, his own voice heavy with indifference.

"Why, just to make you two the heroes of Farkas Academy," Beryl replied in a sugary voice. She held up a paper in the dim light. "'Nationalist Rebels Attack Own Base'."

Darien snatched the paper from her without a second thought. "'The apparent leader of 'Citizens For A New America' has announced another possible appearance today'."

"No shit?" Andrew blurted, reaching for the paper himself. He skimmed over the article and shook his head. "This doesn't make sense. Why would they announce it when all their other appearances were guerilla attacks?"

"What does it matter?" Beryl argued, grabbing the paper from him. "You know they're going to make an appearance, and I," She flipped her hair again. "I knowwhere they'll be attacking _and _the access code to get inside." 

"No, Beryl," Darien replied, walking past her coolly. Andrew followed after him.

"This is guaranteed to make you squadron leaders!" Beryl called out, waving her paper in the air. She smiled as the two men paused in mid-step. "Meet me here in thirty minutes!" 

 "Damn it," Darien muttered under his breath, running his fingers through his hair angrily.

***

"I don't believe I'm doing this," Amy muttered angrily as she connected the tiny wires of her computer to the control panel outside 'Jewels', the Confederate Gathering Area at the border of the Confederate and National countries. The loud music from inside the building rumbled against the walls and a small flash of light was flickering through one of the clubs darkened windows.

"Come on, Amy," Serena whispered as she craned her neck to watch for guards. "Learn to live a little."

"It's the 'live' part I'm trying to protect," Amy retorted. The small computer in her hands beeped rapidly. "You're certainly dressed to kill," She gestured to Serena's short skirt. "What, are you the kind of woman who doesn't carry a gun?"

Serena smirked and patted her leg. "Don't worry. I'm prepared."

Amy lifted an eyebrow at her comment, but said nothing more. Lita and Raye had just emerged over the fence surrounding the club and darted to the two women.

"Sides are clear," Raye explained softly. "Where's Mina?"

As if on cue, a flash of gold jumped over the fence and landed near the group. "Front's secure," Mina said breathlessly. "That thing done yet?"

"Eighty-eight percent," Amy answered. She glanced at Lita over her shoulder. "What's the plan?"

"Look for those C.F.N.A. jackets."

"And if they were smart enough not to wear them?" Amy shoulders slumped when Lita failed to reply. "Great."

The controls by the door switched on, and the club's door swung open, allowing the thundering music to float freely in the cool air.

"Done," Amy exclaimed, gesturing for the women to go inside as she yanked the computer's wires out of the control panel.

If the music had sounded loud outside, it was nothing when compared to inside the club. The women emerged on top of a metal staircase with a small balcony overlooking the dance floor. A sea of writhing bodies swayed to the pulsing music as a set of blinding lights flickered rapidly overhead.

A huge man in a Confederate uniform stepped out from a dark, unseen corner and folded his bulging arms across his chest.

"The 'Secure' entrance is for officers only. Show your…" The soldier' words were cut off in a grunt as Lita charged forward, kneeing him below the belt. As he slumped forward in pain, Lita struck the back off his neck. The others squirmed to get out of the way as his body crumpled to the floor.

"Think they'd get some security for their 'Secure' entrance?" Lita quipped as she knelt beside the unconscious man and unclipped a set of handcuffs from his pants. She pushed him back into his corner and handcuffed him to the rail of the stairway. "Someone take this," Lita commanded, reaching for the band around the man's arm. "You never know when it might come in handy."

Serena took the band in her hands and ran her fingers over the Confederate symbol woven into it. 

The memory of gunfire flashed into her mind, along with the image of her mother's lifeless body on the ground. 

_'Be quiet and don't move. No matter what happens.'_

A child's scream cut through the air.

"Serena," Mina put her hand on the woman's shoulder. "You alright?" 

Serena shook herself from her thoughts with a nod. "Fine," She managed, almost inaudibly, as she folded the band and placed it in her pocket. "I'm fine."

"Look over there," Mina pointed towards the dance floor. A cage had been placed in its center, with a mass of men wrapped around it. A young woman in a dress the same color as her aquamarine hair danced seductively inside the small cage, ignoring the men as they reached inside to touch her.

"That's disgusting," Raye said angrily. "How could a woman reduce herself to that?"

An older man walked up to the cage, shoving men out of his way as he got closer. The woman smiled and swung herself out of the cage gracefully before tucking her arm through his. She whispered something in his ear, causing him to smile proudly.

"That man," Amy squinted her eyes. "General Douglas. Hain's right hand man. Looks like he's taking her to those rooms upstairs."

The crowd below erupted into cheers and whistles. A woman with flaming red hair had stepped through the clubs' main entrance. She greeted the two soldiers guarding the front door with kisses and waved to the dancers, a wide smile on her lips.

Lita cursed loudly. "That's Captain Beryl, one of Farkas' squadron leaders. Why the hell is a Nationalist being so friendly to Confederate soldiers?"

Amy narrowed her eyes once again. "I know the men behind her. They were on my team this morning."

Serena turned her head to the entrance, her jaw dropping at the sight of the two men. "That's Darien!"

"You know them too, Serena?" 

Serena shook her head. "No…not really. I just met them in the hanger today." 

"Well I know I'd like to met 'em." Lita lifted her fist angrily. "And I'd like to ask that bitch a couple questions!"

"What the hell?" A strange voice asked. The women spun around to see another Confederate soldier looking down at his unconscious partner. He then stared at the women for a moment before pulling the small pistol from his holster and waving it at them angrily. "Hands above your head! Right now!" 

On instinct, Lita jumped forward to grab the gun, causing the pistol to fire a shot into the ceiling. 

The crowd once again cheered their approval as the soldier was hurled over the balcony's railing. His fellow Confederate's guarding the club, however, proved to be less than pleased as they raised their weapons in the women's direction. 

"Go!" Lita yelled, and the small group darted down opposite ends of the stairway. The group was instantly lost in the crowd on the dance floor, but Serena continued to fight her way towards the exit. As she reached one clearing, a heavily armed soldier stepped forward to cover it. When she turned to go back, another guard had come to block the way, peering into the crowd with his weapon unsheathed. Serena's heart stopped as two strong hands landed on her shoulders suddenly, twisting her around. Serena lifted her chin to glare at her assailant, and found herself staring into the bluest eyes she had ever seen.

***

When the soldier had asked for their identification, Darien closed his eyes in exasperation. 

'We're screwed.' He told himself, mentally preparing himself for the attack that was sure to come.

"Sure," Beryl cooed sweetly. She dug through the small handbag on her shoulder and produced a small sheet of paper. "Here you go."

The soldier glanced at the paper briefly before looking Beryl up and down. Beryl flipped her hair for the thousandth time that evening and smiled.

"Something wrong?"

The man shook his head and steeped back to let her through, a smirk on his lips. "No, no. Go on in."

Beryl winked seductively as she passed. "Come on, boys," She called out, crooking her finger at Darien and Andrew.

Once they passed the guard, Andrew exploded. "What the hell was on that paper?" He hissed angrily. 

Beryl glared at him. "Never mind! We're in, that's all that's important." She smiled at the two soldiers beside the entrance and kissed each one on the cheek. "Hello, boys!"

"What's going on here?" Andrew demanded as he and Darien followed Beryl further inside. He sighed and threw up his hands. "But business is business. I'll meet you outside, Dar. If we split up we'll probably find more." Without another word, he slipped into the crowd.

One of the soldiers touched Beryl's arm. "The general wants to see you upstairs, miss, if you'll just follow me."

Beryl plastered another smile on her face and threaded her arm through his. "Sure," She glanced at Darien briefly. "Lead the way."

Darien watched as the two made their way toward a stairway and into one of the club's private rooms overlooking the dance floor. A door further down the same hallway opened slowly, and a woman in an aquamarine dress stepped out carefully. Moments later, another woman limped out behind her. Her long, green hair was in total disarray, and even from a distance, Darien could see the cuts and bruises on the woman's face. Her shorter companion caught her as she stumbled forward, and together they went to the stairway.

Suddenly, the crowd began to cheer wildly. Darien turned in time to see a body flip over the railing of the balcony overhead. The dancers darted out of the way, and the body fell to the floor with a loud thump. Darien looked up toward the balcony, and his gaze fell on the blonde woman from the hanger, just as she rushed down the stairway and into the crowd.

"Move outta my way!" The soldier beside him demanded angrily as he and the other uniformed soldiers pushed themselves toward the dance floor. Without thinking, Darien followed.

The air was hot and stuffy, and the dancers were unyielding to the soldiers charging past. 

"Move it!" One soldier yelled in annoyance, pushing a woman roughly. The woman yelped as she fell to the ground. Suddenly regretting his obviously futile act, Darien was about to push his way out of the crowd when Serena came into his view, a look of determination on her face as she fought her way through the mass. Two soldiers began to make their way towards her, and she spun around, desperately looking for an exit.

Darien made it through the crowd, and spun the woman around to face him. He could feel her body tense beneath his hands as she geared herself to fight. The withering look on her face softened as she looked up at him.

"Serena, right?" 

Her eyes narrowed. "Let go of me."

"Is that anyway to speak to someone who's trying to help you?" Darien chided playfully.

Just as Serena opened her mouth to argue, the woman beside her shrieked as a soldier pushed her away. Her partner openly protested the outrage, and he too was sent to the ground.

"If we want to get out of here, we'll have to dance out." Serena spun around gracefully and wrapped her arms around Darien's neck. "Try any funny stuff and I'll kill you," She muttered.

The soldier began to come towards them, his finger posed over the trigger of his gun. Darien wrapped his arms around Serena's waist and pressed her against his body. 

With their bodies so close together, Serena could feel his heartbeat against her body, every breath he took, and each muscle move as he held her. As she moved her body to the music, she lifted her head to look at him. For the second time that day, the two became locked in each other's gaze.

"What are you doing here?" She demanded after a moment. "And _how _did you get here?"

"I could ask you the same question," He replied. He spun her out of his arms and then back into them.

"I'm afraid that information is classified," Serena responded.

"Same here. But I will tell you, if you happened to be part of the C.F.N.A, your problems no longer are limited to what base you're going to attack next."

Serena gave him another smirk. As they neared the end of the dance floor, Darien tightened his arms around her and dipped her body low to the ground. As her neck stretched back gracefully, a glimmer of gold caught his eye. The necklace once concealed inside her shirt now hung freely around her neck, and a crescent moon sparkled in the flashing lights.

The dance stopped as soon as she stood on her own two feet. Serena could sense something troubling him, and the feeling caused her to frown. "What's wrong with you?" 

He shook his head. "I wish I knew."

The movement of a figure caused the couple to turn their heads slowly. The woman in the aquamarine dress passed a table by the dance floor calmly and tossed a round disk on to the tablecloth. A blonde, shorthaired woman at the table stood slowly and discreetly slid the disk into her pants pocket. She then removed her black motorcycle jacket from the back of her chair and flung it over her shoulder nonchalantly. 

As the material floated through the air, Serena saw the distinct image of an American flag printed on it's back.

"The C.F.N.A!" Serena and Darien exclaimed simultaneously. They glanced at each other in disbelief for a moment before breaking into a run; Darien after the woman in the dress, Serena after the blonde with the jacket. Serena's target had left through a secluded exit near the back, but she managed to slip through the door before it snapped closed. The exit lead to an alley beside the club, and the woman had already begun her long trek back to the main street.

"Hold it right there!" Serena ordered. She grabbed the small pistol from the garter around her thigh and aimed it at the back of the woman's head. When the woman ignored her command, she cocked the ammo into position. "I said 'stop'!"

The woman paused only as the soft 'click' of the gun echoed of the alley walls. She chuckled softly and looked over her shoulder.

"Go home, sweetie," The woman replied. "This isn't your concern."

Serena lifted the gun higher. "I know what you are, and I refuse to allow traitors like you to live in this world!"

The woman turned around completely. "You say you know what I am, huh?" Despite the anger on her face, her voice remained strangely placid. 

Before Serena had time to counter, the woman lunged forward. She kicked the gun out of Serena's hand, and it slid across the concrete with a long, metallic scrape. Her hands clamped around Serena's neck, and the shorter woman was pushed against one of the brick walls. Serena gagged and clawed at the hands around her neck in a desperate attempt to free herself, but it only caused the woman to tighten her grip. Serena gasped for air as it was painfully squeezed from her lungs 

"Who are you?" The woman asked. Serena gave the woman a withering look. The woman slammed her back against the wall again, and Serena's eyes closed in pain. "Who are you!?"

To be continued


End file.
